I admit I could be jumping the gun on this one. It’s early in the 4th quarter in Tennessee and the Raiders trail by the gruesome score of 38-6, but they could come back. A fine team like that could mount a stirring comeback, one for the ages. I don’t think so. That’s why I’m writing this now. During the preseason I wrote the burden of proof is on the Raiders. What have they proved? So far, nothing. I’m most… Read More »

My Friday column is a preview of the Raiders’ season. I determined to be positive about the Raiders — what the heck they haven’t done anything wrong yet and they seem much more focused and serious than they have in a long time. The Raiders need a lot of things to go right. Assuming they do, this will be their best season since they were in the Super Bowl. Can they make it to the playoffs? Well, you’ll have to… Read More »

They just posted my Friday column on the Press Democrat website. I am at the Raiders final exhibition game at the Oakland Coliseum but not a lot usually happens in Exhibition Game 4 so I wrote my column early. I posed six questions the Raiders must answer in the affirmative if they are to have a good season –Sports Illustrated picks them to come in second in the AFC West. So let’s call that a good season. I will stay… Read More »

Here is my column from the just-completed Raiders/49ers exercise tonight at the Oakland Coliseum. There are so many things to write about because every play means everything and nothing at the same time. I didn’t write about Alex Smith because the real season is near and I’ll write about him then — same goes for Jason Campbell, if he can play when the season starts. I must say, however, I never saw Darrius Heyward-Bey look so good. I wrote about… Read More »

This is what I take away from the 49ers/Raiders game, late 3rd quarter. Jason Campbell is better than I thought. He’s also hurt. Darrius Heyward-Bey is a lot better than I thought. Good for him. The Raiders could not control Frank Gore and I wonder if they have, indeed, improved their run defense. Frank Gore is very good. Alex Smith managed the game well and seemed better and more poised than ever. The 49ers offense looks pretty efficient. The 49ers… Read More »

Tiburon Dave asked me to define success for the Raiders. Good question. I’d like to define success for the Raiders and 49ers. Success for the Raiders is 8 wins. Just win half their games. This would show significant progess and it would show the team has a program and the program is working. As part of those 8 wins, the Raiders need to show they can throw and catch the ball, protect the passer and stop the run. Success for… Read More »

Both the Raiders and 49ers have big things to prove in the upcoming season. They have different things to prove, momentous in both cases. To read my column — my first since vacation — on the Raiders and Niners burdens of proof click here. PS: You may need to go into the blog to find the click here click. Why? Hey, I don’t fly this ship.